Matt McAvoy Book Review

Vince Rockston has once again delivered an incredibly human tale set in a meticulously researched period of history.  With his writing, and entry no exception, you live and breathe the characters, the settings and the era.  You feel you are part of the conversations, walking the same streets, listening to the same sounds. 

This time we are in the 17^th century, as the Christian Huguenots of France face brutal persecution from the Catholic king and his tyrannical purging of non-Catholics.  The paranoia is tangible, as lifelong friends and neighbours reveal their true colours as resentfully opposed ideologues.  The reader can feel the erosion of trust at what must have been a very frightening time for the Huguenots, reminiscent perhaps of the simmering, growing concern of Jews in 1930s Germany.  Vince presents all of this with profound depth and knowledge, not just of the history, but also the humanity.

The plot revolves around a teenager left to protect his family on their exodus from likely targeting by pro-king nationalists and the authorities, when his father is arrested, at a time when the regime was increasingly suspicious of separatist activity.  So begins an epic journey across land and sea to safety, with some tragic losses along the way, as Gédéon’s family face betrayal, sickness and the elements on their odyssey.  It is a beautifully crafted work of historical fiction and a masterclass of author research. 

The narrative, whilst not particularly action-packed, is never slow or uninteresting.  Vince is a decent author who engages right from the outset, and I can’t see any reason why his style won’t appeal to readers of all ages; it is wonderfully endearing and genuinely fascinating; you will feel you are alongside Gédéon at every step.  It does at times focus on tragedy, of which there is plenty, and is delivered in an exceptionally heartfelt manner in this respect, yet it is clear that, despite their moments of fear, doubt and grief, the characters manage to hold it together, by their love and, to some degree, continued hope.  It is a pleasant book to read, though expect significant poignancy at times.  I felt there were a few areas which could have been a touch better, including perhaps the final polish, but Vince’s quality otherwise makes up for this.  If you like historical tales told in a fictional style, with heart and feeling, I think you could do far worse than taking a good look at this writer’s impressive work.